As connectivity, apps, smartphone integration (for voice calls
and texting, as well as email), GPS navigation, and
autonomous-driving features become more important features of the
auto experience, we feel that it's essential to provide our take
on the carmakers that are doing the best job of pulling together
all these elements — don't forget to throw in Apple CarPlay and
Android Auto — under the general rubric of "infotainment."

A great infotainment system makes car ownership a pleasure. A
poor system makes it a chore. Consumers are far more demanding
these days than they were just five years ago. And they're going
to get more demanding, as 24/7 connectedness continues to define
their lives.

Safety first

Of course, not all trends are good ones: Consumer Reports has
noted frequent owner complaints about balky infotainment systems;
and the issue of distracted driving is of paramount
importance.

We consider a great infotainment system to be one that performs
all its functions relatively seamlessly and with as much of an
intuitive interface as possible. At this juncture,
voice-recognition technologies are still at an early stage, but
we certainly appreciate when a manufacturer's setup works as
advertised and isn't clunkier than the more dangerous
manual-entry-of-info modes.

An impressive infotainment system isn't always like what you
might get with a smartphone or a tablet. If it were, Tesla's
massive Touchscreen would have been a winner this year, as nearly
all vehicle and infotainment features are controlled through
it.

Reliability, ease-of-use, precision (especially when it comes to
navigation) and the ability of a system to be operated while
driving without endangering anyone were key criteria for our
choice — which involved debate and discussion all year long among
Senior Correspondent Matt DeBord, Transportation Reporters Ben
Zhang and Danielle Muoio, and Senior Transportation Editor Cadie
Thompson (Evening News Editor and West Coast car buff Bryan Logan
also kicked in his thoughts).

The big winner

The controls in an Audi
A4.Hollis
Johnson

We've been delighted with Audi's MMI infotainment system for a
few years. It does everything well, from managing audio to
providing superb and accurate navigation powered by Google Maps.
It also has Bluetooth integration along with Audi Connect 4G LTE
connectivity and a cluster of apps.

It isn't a touchscreen system: a central infotainment screen
emerges from the dashboard, but you use a knob, buttons, and
a touchpad to access the menus and features. This is throw-backy,
but in practice, it works well, and once you get the hang of it
means less time taking your eyes of the road. Bluetooth
integration is faultless.

However, the competition has caught up with Audi. But the arrival
of Virtual Cockpit continues to give the carmaker an edge.

Virtual Cockpit is a very cool technology that transforms the
main instrument cluster into a customizable digital screen. It
can, for example, display the navigation map and send the
traditional gauges to the corners of the screen. This means that
a driver's eyes are front-and-center much of the time, rather
than darting between the road ahead, the infotainment screen, and
the instruments (as well as the rearview and sideview
mirrors).

The controls in an Audi
Q7.Hollis
Johnson

Virtual Cockpit is managed using steering-wheel controls, so
it's even more safety oriented. It currently isn't available on
all Audis. It's limited to the A4 sedan, the Q7 SUV, and R8
supercar, but we expect to see it in future vehicles.

In terms of the voice system, Audi's MMI is state-of-the-art. It
isn't as good as Apple CarPlay and Siri, but Apple's system isn't
quite ready to take over control of the car yet.

The overall Audi system is very effective and quite advanced.
It's a worthy winner for our first-ever Infotainment System of
the Year.

The dash-mounted screen in
an Audi A4.Hollis
Johnson

The runner-up

General Motors' MyLink/IntelliLink/Cue plus OnStar has come on
very strong in the past two years as the biggest challenger to
Audi's MMI in the traditional automaking realm.

GM's system — which has different names across brands, but
has essentially the same functionality — is easier to use than
Audi's. Central touchscreens are the rule, with a few important
buttons and steering-wheel controls retained. Bluetooth
integration is impeccable, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are
available, audio operation is easy, and navigation using the
in-dash system is excellent.

What sets GM apart is the combination of 4GLTE connectivity,
available on every vehicle the company makes, and OnStar, GM's
longstanding suite of communications, safety, and navigation
technology, activated by buttons on the rearview mirror.

Cadillac Cue's central touchscreen in a
CT6.Hollis
Johnson

4GLTE transforms your GM vehicle into a rolling wi-fi hotspot. In
practice, it's brilliant. Parents can't live without it, as
in-vehicle entertainment screens are replaced by everyone
bringing along their own device.

OnStar is still the best way to get directions. You push the blue
button, an operator comes on the the line, you tell that person
where you want to go and Presto! The navigation is sent to your
vehicle. This can all be done on the fly, outdoing all other
in-dash and voice-activated nav systems on the market.

In total, GM full infotainment package is probably better than
Audi's at this point. But Virtual Cockpit, in our assessment, is
simply too groundbreaking to ignore. That's why GM finished
second.

All the other infotainment systems that were in the running had
the compelling merits. BMW's iDrive is most-improved, Ford SYNC 3
is a tremendous update over the previous generation, and Tesla
Touchscreen marks the direction is which all manufacturers will
probably head in the future toward putting
all vehicle-systems-management in place.

Congratulations to Audi, however, for maintaining its level of
infotainment excellence and continuing to innovate.